


Immutabilis

by rumpledspinster



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), ouat
Genre: F/M, Happy Ending, hope you dig it, inspired by the tale of the Emperor's New Clothes since the fandom seems to have a craving for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 07:03:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11458494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumpledspinster/pseuds/rumpledspinster
Summary: An AU of Skin Deep (where the Dark One is not cursed, merely a powerful changeling child with a terrible childhood who grows up to be feared and respected. And Belle seems to be the only one who has noticed that he struts about naked the majority of the time. Will Belle discover why she seems to be the only one distracted by Rumplestiltskin’s “rather large estate”? Will Rumplestiltskin discover why his efforts to intimidate his little maid tend to lead to her blushing and walking into things? Find out in the little tale I call “Immutabilis”.





	Immutabilis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheStraggletag](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStraggletag/gifts).



> My dear theStraggleTag, I hope that this gift of fic pleases you. Your lovely fics have brought my much happiness. As you requested, a fic inspired by the Emperor's New Clothes. :)

 

Belle tried her best to calm her father’s fear with her hopeful voice, “He could be on his way right now Papa.” Her father shook his weary head, “It’s no use child. We are doomed.”

 

Suddenly, there was a terrible banging on the heavy wooden door of the war room. Everyone jumped up at the sound and at her father’s urging they made to remove the barricades to let the Dark One in because who else could it be? Who else could have gotten past the barricades and wards? But to the shock of all, there was no one there when the door was finally opened.

 

“Looking for me?”

 

The impish voice came from behind them. Belle had been at the back of the crowd straining to see the creature that was called the Dark One when the door was finally opened so imagine her shock when she turned around to see him right before her… unobstructed… in her father’s chair… one of his legs draped over the arm of it… and by the gods he was naked… She simply gaped at him in shock for a moment, which she presumed he interpreted as horror because he cast an impish grin her way and was that a wink?

 

The Dark One began to speak to her father, though she was still a bit too distracted to make out the words… So that’s what one looks like… I wonder if that’s what Gaston’s looks like… similar I suppose since after all they are both men because there was no doubt in her mind now that the Dark One was most definitely a man.

 

Belle shook her self of her thoughts and turned to face her father in an attempt to truly focus on what was being said, not that it helped because now the Dark One was up and strutting around the room… and why wasn’t anyone trying to shield her eyes? Shouldn’t someone be trying to save her maiden naivety?

 

His voice was smooth as silk as he declared, “I require something a bit more special… her.”

 

Now came the shielding that Belle had expected. Her father refused and Gaston roughly pushed her behind him, not in a caring way Belle noted, no…

Gaston spoke up, “The lady is already engaged, to me.”

 

There was definitely a ring of possession to his words that she didn’t care for. She didn’t want to marry Gaston. She was only pressured into it because her father believed that with Gaston’s men they might defeat the ogres, which was not happening, so why continue with what was sure to be a loveless marriage?

 

But now the Dark One was speaking again, and by the gods his voice was alluring.

“I’m not looking for _love_ , I simply require a caretaker for my rather _large_ estate.”

 

Okay that was definitely a double entendre… wasn’t it? Belle looked to the faces of the men around her, but none of them seemed to register it so perhaps it was meant just for her? So… I must be the only one who sees him as naked, but why would he do that? Unless… he thinks he can embarrass and shock me into saying no so that he doesn’t have to save my kingdom, well if he thinks I am so easily flustered he is very much mistaken.

“Wait! I will go with you.”

 

The Dark One had been on his way out the door as she spoke. He turned around and she saw surprise clear on his face and felt she was sure she was right about why he chose to appear nude to her. She could hear the hesitation in his voice as he reminded her, “It’s forever dearie.”

 

So, always the brave one, she reminded him of his part of the deal. When he agreed to her terms she approached him, and though he did lead her out with a carefully placed hand on her back, she noted that he kept his distance from her and she smiled ever so slightly as she thought to herself that she had bested him.

 

***

They arrived at his castle high in the foreboding Dark Mountains and she was happy to find that despite the terrible cold of the snowy peaks, the interior of his spacious home was toasty warm, though she supposed he would need it to be what with her new master’s lack of clothing. I wonder how long he will keep up this charade? But she was immediately drawn from her musings as she saw her new master walking ahead of her quite briskly and proceeding to give her a tour and description of duties. Most of his requests seemed reasonable enough, though she was sure he only put her in the dungeon because he was annoyed that she showed no sign of his nakedness making her uncomfortable, which wasn’t all that hard because at this point it didn’t, although it was very distracting. Thus she was happy when he told her that one of her duties would be to serve tea to him in the great hall because he would be seated at the head of the long table and his…well… bits and bobs, were out of sight. At least at tea time she could focus her thoughts, that is until he made a rather startling quip about skinning children. It had seemingly come out of nowhere and she lost her grip on the teacup she was holding. Oh gods! Now I’m going to have to go under the table and get it. You can do this, focus on the cup. She focused all of her attention on the cup, but she was sure that her face and voice must have sounded flustered, but when he spoke to her muttering “It’s just a cup.” She found that his words had a tone of reassuring. Perhaps he believes his appearance to be monstrous and startling… perhaps it wasn’t his intention to embarrass her with his nudity… but to frighten her? She began to see him in a different light then, and his strict rule of no mirrors in the castle seemed to make more sense to her now. The poor man must harbor such terrible self-loathing, but then why not hide himself from me? Why would he put himself on display? Perhaps some twisted part of himself seeks reassurance of his perceived hideousness? Well she would find a way to make him see himself the way she did, as a specimen worthy of the great sculptors of the classical ages. But first she would have to work on not getting distracted by his chiseled features because if she didn’t stop walking into walls and tripping over furniture she was going to start to seem foolish.

 

***

 

Rumplestiltskin didn’t know what to make of the girl that he had bartered for. It had been a spur of the moment decision, a whim. He had thought it might be nice to have another living creature’s presence to break the thick solitude of his castle, and if she proved competent in her chores it would save him the expended magic it would take for him to do them. But she was just so… odd. He had expected her to be afraid, and she had cried that first night, but it wasn’t fear he sensed in her now. She did her chores well enough, but she seemed rather klutzy and uncoordinated. Every time he entered the room she was in; her cheeks would go red and she seemed to get so flustered. That alone had seemed strange to him, but now… In the past few days something had changed in her. She smiled… why did she smile? She touched my hand when she served me tea. Her warm, soft fingers, feather light on mine. Then at dinner she had served me from behind my chair rather than the side as she had been. He closed his eyes as he remembered her small hand on his left shoulder, her bosom against his right, and her nose so close to his cheek. He felt stirrings deep within him that he could not name, all he knew is that her warmth would haunt his dreams.

 

And so he began to seek her out, making various excuses as to why he needed to be where she was. The light in that room was better, he needed her as background noise to keep him focused; but the best excuse was oh so brilliant.

 

The golden gown that she had arrived in was becoming tattered and really wasn’t suited for her daily activities, so he had called her in to the great room where he spun and told her that he would need her measurements so that he could create appropriate clothing for her. She had giggled at his request. “I would never have guessed you were a skilled clothier.” Her comment confused him; while her meager attempts at stopping her giggle fit simply led to her snorting like a pig. He decided to quip back with, “Just as I would never have guessed you could do such an impressive pig impersonation.” She must have sensed the hurt in him because she finally ceased her giggling and very contritely approached him. She brushed the hair from his face with gentle fingers and he had to fight the urge to flinch from her touch, but then her fingers were gone and his face fell at the loss. She turned away from him then and turned to look back over her shoulder at him. “Could you assist me with the laces?”

 

“Uh…umm, yes. Yes, of course.” His nimble fingers undid them quickly and he simply stared in frozen shock as she peeled away her gown, letting it run over her curves like a waterfall of fabric, and let it pool about her ankles. She stood before him clothed in only her thin chemise, corset, and stockings, and in his eyes she had never looked more lovely. She turned to face him. “Where shall I stand?”

 

He didn’t speak, couldn’t speak, as he motioned toward the rug before the warm hearth. She shed her court shoes and seemed to glide in her dainty stocking feet. So ethereal… He produced a measuring tape and began to take her measurements slowly, making the moment last, letting his fingers linger on her hips, waist, and bust. His touches always feather light, and when he finally looked into her eyes they seemed to call out to him “stay awhile longer, touch awhile longer”. He imagined he saw lust there, but of course it was just his imagination for how could she ever. She was just kind. Far kinder than he deserved.

 

“Ah, that will be all. You may retire for the evening.” At his words her lips parted as if she were about to speak, but she simply released her breath, turned and left.

 

He set about making her dresses, new undergarments and shoes with the vision of her eyes still haunting him. The dresses he made for her would be the shade of her eyes, for it had become his favorite color. He came to her cell in the dungeon in the wee hours of the night so that she would have them to wear come morning, since she had foregone putting on her cumbersome gown and uncomfortable court shoes when she had retired to bed in her chemise. He approached the door carefully and quietly entered the space. It was raining outside and the wind whistled through the bared window ominously, blowing water in and letting it drip down the stone wall. His eyes roamed the dim room and came to rest on her shivering form tucked into a ball in the corner with her rough wool blanket wrapped tight around her. He had intended to simply leave the clothes in a pile for her, but now… he couldn’t leave her here. This cell was suited to punish a prisoner, not house a kind maiden. So, he set off to the wing of the castle where his own room was located and made his way to an unused room. With a wave of his hand it was transformed. Furnished finely with all that a lady might require. He laid her new clothes and shoes out on her new plush bed and set out to wake his little caretaker and surprise her.

 

***

Belle found she couldn’t shut out the wind and the cold enough to truly fall asleep. She pulled her knees against her chest and held tight to her blanket, closed her eyes and thought about what had happened in the great hall. She could still picture him in all his glory standing before her with adoring eyes, the firelight glinting off his glittering skin. His warm, slightly rough hands touching her gently, and the way he looked when he knelt before her and looked up at her with warm amber eyes that seemed to sparkle. I should have said something. I wanted to, but… I could’ve at least hugged him. Belle sighed through her shivering at the lost opportunity.

 

Rumple approached the open cell door and gave it a gentle knock with the back of his hand. Belle turned toward the door and smiled broadly at the sight of him. He held out a soft robe to her which she took gratefully and slipped on. He seemed unsure of what to say as he cleared his throat. “Uh, umm, well… I was thinking that this… room, isn’t really suited for being your living quarters. So, I took the liberty of creating a permanent room for you. I’ll show it to you.” She nodded gratefully, so he led the way. He took her to a hallway in the west wing that she had never been to before. She enjoyed the feel of the rich red wool carpeting on this floor as they made their way to her new room. As they made their way there, they passed a large room with double doors that were open. Belle noticed a bookshelf in the dim room and stopped Rumple by hugging his arm like a koala. “Are there books in there? May I read them?”

 

Rumple was taken off guard by her embrace, but immediately felt himself melting at the warmth. “Hmm? Oh, that’s the library…”

 

“Library! You have a library!”

 

Rumple chuckled, “Are you surprised to find that this old monster is literate?”

 

Belle patted him, “You’re not a monster. I’m pleased that you are literate, I never doubted it. I love books!”

 

“Well then, my fellow bibliophile…” He waved a hand toward the room and the fireplace within lit up with a warm fire. The firelight illuminated the room enough for them to enter, at which point their presence caused the castle to light all the candelabras, revealing the room to be cavernous with stacks upon stacks of books. Belle walked through the room as if in a trance, letting her dainty hands trace the spines of the books reverently. She turned back to face him with tears in her eyes, “You’ll let me read them, won’t you?”

 

The sight of her teary eyes and pleading face had his body moving on its own. Without thinking he glided over to her and wiped away her tears. “Of course, but first a good night’s sleep.” He began to lead her back to the door. “Perhaps having so many books to look forward to will help you to have pleasant dreams.” Belle smiled and blushed at his words, but then gasped as she saw her new room. “This is beautiful! Is it really for me?” Rumple smiled, happy to see her happy. “Of course, all for you. I tried to think of everything you might require, let me know if I have forgotten something. There is a bathroom through there with a tub. The castle is enchanted, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Ask for the fireplace to be lit and it will be so, ask for the tub to be filled with warm water, etc. As the castle gets to know you it will begin to anticipate your needs.”

 

Belle smiled and spun around gracefully to face him. “What a clever castle!” She threw her arms around him and snuggled against his chest. “Thank you so much, for everything. For saving my kingdom, for your kindness.” She sighed, a contented sound and for a moment Rumple held her back and closed his eyes. He committed the feeling of her in his arms and her alluring scent to memory. All of a sudden he felt himself becoming aroused and he pushed her back gently and held her at arms length before he began to back out of the room.

 

Belle noted that his face was flushed and he seemed nervous as he left her.

“Uh, umm, take tomorrow off. Sleep in and enjoy the library. Good night Belle.” And with that he fled the room like a frightened rabbit, but not before Belle noticed the new and a bit alarming changes to his lower anatomy. So that’s what one looks like when it’s aroused… I wonder what makes that happen… Belle began to blush and feel all fluttery inside as she realized that she had made that happen, with her touches, warmth, words, and smiles. This was all so new, she couldn’t be sure that what she was feeling for him was love, or that he felt love for her, but she did know that whatever this was it was wonderful. She felt excited and giddy like a child on Christmas eve night. Well there is no way I’m going to be able to fall asleep now. Belle decided to creep back to the library across the hall and find a book to take back to bed. As she entered the room, it lit up for her and she smiled. Feeling a bit silly, she asked the room quietly, “Do you have a book that could help me to understand what love is?” To her excited surprise, a red hardback book came floating out of the stacks and toward her waiting hands. She carefully opened the cover to see a beautiful artist rendering of a rose in bloom and the title, The Rarest Rose. Belle bit her lip gently in exited anticipation, thanked the room quietly and headed back to her new bedroom. She sat the book on a side table and set to putting her new clothes away in the wardrobe, marveling at the beautiful pieces and the skilled stitches.

 

Done with her work she looked back toward the bed and sighed. She still felt a bit chilled from her time in the dungeon, despite the warm fire in her hearth. I think I’ll enjoy my book in the bath. She grabbed her new book, some nightclothes to change into and made her way into the bathroom. She smiled and giggled slightly as she saw that the castle had anticipated her desire almost as soon as she had decided on it. There were candles lit casting a soft warm glow, and the tub was filled with steamy water and lightly scented with rose oil. There was even a tray suspended over the tub, above the water, for her book to rest upon. She sat her book upon it and shed her chemise. She pulled her hair into a twist and secured it with a hair fork that lay upon the raised ledge along the outside of the tub and then stepped into the very warm water slowly, relishing the way it seemed to warm her to her bones and settled into the tub with a happy sigh. “Thank you castle,” she whispered and then laid back and let her muscles begin to warm up and relax.

For a while she just lay back with her eyes closed and breathed in the heavenly rose scented steam. At last, she sighed happily and opened her eyes. She opened her new book and began to read. She soon found herself lost in the story of a princess who discovers the ruins of an ancient castle reclaimed by nature and the mysterious impish man who calls it home.

 

Time seemed to fly by, and of course it helped that the water magically stayed warm, but Belle noticed that she was becoming pruny and so decided to get out. She dried off quickly and dressed for bed. She climbed beneath the covers with her book and smiled as she noticed that the bed was already warm and cozy. She left the candles on her bedside table lit and continued to read into the wee hours of the morning, finally reaching the end as her room began to fill with light.

 

The impish Tracassin had slowly allowed himself to fall in love with the lovely princess Rose, yet he was still plagued by the dark fear that she would leave him behind in the ruins that he had made his home, the ruins that she had brought to life by the magic of her presence. He saw himself as an inhuman monster, a creature of darkness; whereas Rose was a creature of light, ethereal in her beauty. Love of such a creature was not meant for someone like him. Yet princess Rose did love him, and had loved him almost from the start, though she hadn’t known that was what the nature of her feelings were at first. She had seen through his quips and mischievous tricks, and she hadn’t let him run her off. Somehow, she had sensed the great loneliness in him and she could see the meek and self-conscious creature that hid behind the flippant persona that he had worn in the beginning of their relationship. She was determined to prove her love and devotion to him with her continued presence in the hopes that he might finally let down his guard completely and take her into his heart. She had told him that she would return to him every day as the sun reached the middle of the sky and leave him as it began to set, and on that first day he had waved her promise away by telling her that her continued return to him was no more likely than the return of the roses to the ruins; for the roses that had once graced his ruins had been uncared for and abandoned long ago and thus had returned to nothing more than rootstock because only the rarest and most resilient roses can survive alone in ruins. Yet she had returned to him, every day with her smiles and stories. And he had seen the sadness in her eyes every evening when she would leave him. He had noted her sadness at their parting and she had wiped away her tears and whispered, “You are not the only one who lives in ruins.” He hadn’t known what to make of it, for she had not told him about her father’s continued descent into madness or the death of her mother. Nor had she told him that his home in the ruins had become her sanctuary; the only place she felt truly at home.

 

But then the day came that she did not return to him. He waited until the sun set, but she had not come. Only after darkness had settled upon the ruins did he allow himself to cry. His tears ran freely and soaked the ground where he lay curled in upon himself. Only after the light of morning came and began to warm him, did he sit up and see that the walls of his ruins were now covered in fragrant blooming roses. As he looked at them in wonder he recalled Rose’s words, “You aren’t the only one who lives in ruins.” Tracassin felt as if he had been punched hard in the gut and his breathing felt sharp and labored. “My Rose… what has become of you?” He rushed off in the direction he had seen her go so many evenings prior, and kept running until he caught her scent. At last he came to a fortress of cold stone. He heard a blood curdling scream coming from the other side of the imposing wall and without thinking he began to climb it with the ease of a lizard, coming to a crouch upon the top edge. His unnatural eyes quickly scanned the open square in the center of the fortress and saw his precious Rose, bloody and beaten, tied to a wooden stake within an unlit bonfire. She was pleading, her voice hoarse from screaming, she rasped, “Please don’t do this father!” Her father waved the torch wildly and shouted, “You’ve been going into the forest and plotting with the devil! You want my throne!”

 

Tracassin was no longer listening as he leapt from the top of the wall, and flipped into a roll, coming to a stop in front of Rose. He hissed at the supposed king and was pleased with himself when the man stumbled back in fear. He then quickly set to work undoing the rope that bound her with his sharp claws and pulled her into his arms. The king was screaming again and waving the torch, then all at once fire seemed to be everywhere having latched on to dry stacks of straw nearby and quickly spreading. Rose clung to Tracassin as the flames rose up before them and the screams of the people who had been watching from the safety of their hiding places began to echo against the stone of the structure. They had not cared for his beloved, so he would not care for them. He swung her onto his back and swiftly climbed the wall and then proceeded to carry her to the safety of his ruins.

 

        They confessed their love for each other surrounded by the beautiful scent of roses and with shimmering light shining down upon them through the thick tree cover. Tracassin captured her lips with his own and began to kiss her passionately. He ran a clawed finger down the laces of her corset, cutting them away. His hands then came up to cradle her head for a moment before slowly sliding down her neck to her shoulders. He began pushing her chemise sleeves down gently, all the while continuing to kiss her. Rose felt herself becoming moist between her legs and a strange pull within her, as if she were a lidded pot about to boil over. Her apex began to throb and she pushed her legs together in a feeble attempt at relief, but it seemed to fuel the throb rather than relieve it. She wasn’t sure what this strange feeling coming over her was, but she somehow knew that he was the cause of it. Then she heard him moan and wondered if perhaps he was in the same exquisite pain. She was now bare before him and on pure instinct she brought her legs up and wrapped them around his middle and found that the pressure against her apex brought her some relief, but left her wanting so much more. As she did so she heard him whimper and moan more intensely and felt that he had become hard beneath her. He clawed into her buttocks gently and sat her down upon a stone altar of sorts, before quickly shedding his own clothes. She saw his cock spring to life before her and weep at the sight of her…

 

Belle was absolutely enthralled by what she was reading. Belle had known the basic mechanics of sex, but no one had ever explained the feeling in such a way that she had felt herself mirror those feelings. So this is arousal. Belle continued to read, feeling herself becoming wet right along with Rose. Belle began to massage her clit with the heel of her hand and moaned as it helped to relieve some of the throbbing that had begun to develop in her apex. Belle had never done more that touch the outside of her nether lips in the past, but she grew brave as she read about how Tracassin had helped Rose become ready to receive him by massaging her with his fingers so she followed his example and eased her finger into her tight cunt; first one, then two. She shuddered and felt herself quake as she curled her fingers the way he had in Rose. She felt as if she were about to shake apart and wondered for a moment if her heart might explode as she continued to ride out her orgasm before pulling her slick fingers out of herself and bringing them back to her clit where she began to rub lazy circles as she basked in afterglow. When her senses returned to her she managed to read on in her book and felt her imagination whir as she let the words take shape in her mind’s eye and she saw Tracassin make passionate love to Rose. Belle tried to commit as many details to memory so that if the time came with Rumplestiltskin she would remember what to do, and what had pleased Tracassin the most. With her thoughts still whirring away she fell asleep at last.

 

In her exhausted slumber the details she had focused so hard on began to blur with her memories of the previous night. Rumplestiltskin stood bare before her, the warm glow of the hearth shimmering on his bare chest. She turned her back to him and felt his warm rough hands undressing her slowly. She turned to face him and looked into his lust filled eyes as she shed her chemise and stood exposed before him. She stepped forward feeling the plush wool carpet beneath her feet as she twined her arms around his middle. She pushed her body up against him and sighed at the warmth of him and his intoxicating scent. She felt his strong arms hug her securely and his member hard against her stomach. She kissed his chest, sucking gently and grazing his flesh with her teeth.

 

All of a sudden they were falling as if in slow motion and she found herself kneeling above him on a soft mattress. He was panting and whimpering beneath her. She could see that he needed release and she wasn’t going to let him suffer. She began to rock her warm wet apex against his throbbing member as she massaged his chest with her small hands. He sounded like a wounded animal as she slid up his chest and felt the tip of his cock press against her opening. She ran her hand down his stomach and grasped his member gently, guiding it, before slowly sliding down upon it. She began to rock her hips against him and felt her heart flutter as he finally said the words she longed to hear. “I love you! My precious Belle! Only you make me feel this way! I will never leave you.” Belle came in her sleep, the force of it shaking her from her slumber. For a moment, she looked around her new room in confusion, but then the events of the previous night and most of the day, since it now appeared to be the late afternoon, came back to her. She stretched and yawned, a sleepy smile crossing her face. That was the most wonderful dream she could remember having. She got out of bed and saw that the book had fallen on to the floor. She picked it up reverently and sat it on her bedside table smiling as she did so.

 

Belle quickly washed off and dressed before pulling her hair up in a simple bun save for a few wisps of hair that framed her face.

 

***

Rumplestiltskin stumbled as he scrambled away from Belle’s new room to his own bedroom. His magic momentarily forgotten, he quickly shut the door and slumped against it. He was panting and quickly becoming painfully aroused. It wasn’t the first time in his life that he had been aroused; he had been with women in his life, but it had been momentary lust, a white hot flash and then it was over. This was different somehow. This was more layered. He lusted after her to be sure, but there was so much more than just a physical attraction. He wanted her smiles, her admiration, her love; he craved it. Rumplestiltskin slid down the door and sat on the floor, resting his back against the thick wood. He took himself in hand and brought himself off to thoughts of Belle. How ethereal she had looked as she shed her dress and shoes. How daintily she had stepped toward him in the firelight. The twinkling tears in her eyes as she had asked if she could read his books. The warm weight of her in his arms and her lovely scent. Her happy sigh and her sweet smile.

 

Rumplestiltskin looked down at his sticky hand and closed his eyes in disgust at the sight. Someone as lovely as she was meant for much better than him. Even if it weren’t for his strange lizard like skin that shimmered golden in the light, there would still be something about him. An aura he supposed. He had been born odd. Nobody knew why. Some said he was cursed because of some misdeed of his mother or father. Some said he was a changeling child left behind in the world of man to cause mischief. All Rumplestiltskin knew was that for whatever the reason, the universe had seen fit to mark him as other. People seemed to feel it even when he wore a glamor to hide it, and so he had stopped hiding. He had embraced solitude, or so he had thought.

 

Perhaps… her friendship will be enough. Rumplestiltskin sighed sadly at the thought because he already knew deep down in his soul that he would always want more than just her friendship. He wanted her love, he wanted to possess her in every way and to feel that she would always be his. He had finally had a taste of love in his wretched life and he knew that the loss of it would kill him. Rumplestiltskin cleaned himself up with a wave of his hand and rose to his feet. I will have to distance myself. I cannot let myself become any more attached to her. I should send her away… No. The loneliness would be unbearable now that I have known companionship. I will just have to keep our interactions distant; Master and servant, nothing more.

 

***

Belle decided she would get a quick bite to eat and then start making dinner. Rumplestiltskin had said that she could take the day off, but she felt it would be nice if she still made dinner for them both. She smiled at the thought of seeing him at dinner, and bit her lip in excitement at the thought of what she should do and say. Belle was not especially well versed in the art of coquetry, but she supposed it shouldn’t be too hard, after all the hardest part should be finding a partner who is aroused by you and if his anatomy was anything to go by then she was all set. I wonder if the library has a book about coquetry… Belle had just left her room to set off for the kitchen when she nearly ran into a blue book floating in front of her face as she turned into the hallway. “Oh!” Belle took a step back and grabbed the book. She turned it over in her hands and opened it to the title page. She smiled as she saw the topic of the book and whispered, “Thank you castle,” before running off to the kitchen.

 

Belle started a stew and then set to reading the book the castle had set out for her while she nibbled on bread and cheese. Belle absentmindedly nibbled on her lower lip as she began to fret over the many different suggestions in the book… Chest out, stomach in, walk as if you were a doll with a string on the top of your head attached to a cloud, purse your lips as you silently say ‘prune’, tilt your head slightly and look up at him through your lashes… This is going to be harder than I thought…

 

Belle sat the book aside when the stew was done and set to plating it. She made her way to the great hall and set dinner out on the long table.

 

Rumplestiltskin was sitting at his spinning wheel in meditative thought when he noticed Belle walking in to the hall, and all meditative thought evaporated like a drop of water on a hot pan. “B-belle! I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

 

Belle smiled at him and then looked a bit like she was going to be sick as she pouted her lips out like a duck and began to walk very wobbily and unsure toward him on tip toes as if she were a toddling child. She stopped a few feet away from him and tilted her head to the side as if she needed her shoulder to support it and began to blink rapidly. “I thought it would be nice to have dinner together like we always do. I really look forward to the company.”

Rumplestiltskin’s mouth was gaping open like a fish as he struggled to make sense of her strange behavior. To be fair she had always seemed odd with the blushing and the klutziness, but this behavior was beyond odd, it was scary. “Belle… have you been drinking?”

 

Belle pushed her chest out toward him, her head still tilted on her shoulder, eyes blinking away, “I drink every day. It is important to one’s health to stay hydrated.”

 

Rumplestiltskin walked over to her and placed his hand on her forehead, gently pushing back her hair and checking for fever. “I meant alcohol. Have you been drinking alcohol?”

 

Belle let him take her face in his hands, but continued to try to look up at him through fluttering lashes while pushing out her bust toward his chest. Unfortunately, she became unbalanced and before she could do anything to stop it, she was falling backward away from him as if she were a felled tree.

 

“Belle!” Rumplestiltskin was unable to move fast enough to stop her fall as she fell away from him and thudded on the floor. He fell to his knees and brushed the hair away from her face as he asked her if she were alright.

 

Belle moaned and started to sit up. Coquetry was not for her. “I’m fine. I must have been a bit dizzy.”

 

Rumplestiltskin did not seem convinced by her words. “Are you sure? It seemed to me that you were ill or suffering some kind of fit before you fell.”

 

Belle felt her face go scarlet at his words; so much for being flirtatious. “I just have a bit of a headache. I suppose I should have eaten more today.”

 

Rumplestiltskin helped her up and to a chair at the table. He served her a bowl of stew. “Perhaps dinner will help.”

 

Belle smiled uneasily. “Yes, I’m sure it will.”

 

They ate in silence and when Belle was finished she rose and bid him goodnight before retreating to her room in embarrassed defeat.

 

She changed into her night clothes and snuggled into bed. Perhaps I’m going about this all wrong. She looked over to the book on her night stand. Rose didn’t win over Tracassin with flirting. She proved that she was reliable and that her love was unshakeable, and that’s what I need to do. But how… Belle tried to think of a way to prove her loyalty until her headache got the best of her and she reluctantly fell asleep.

 

The next morning Belle decided she would prove that she was reliable through hard work. She would work herself to the bone and then he would see that she cared. At least she hoped he would. And so she set out to make the castle immaculate. She worked harder than she ever had in her life and when it came time to serve dinner she was barely able to get it to the table. Her hands were burned, cut, and blistered from the day’s work and her muscles were screaming.

 

Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but notice that Belle was overworked and ragged. She seemed to drag her body as she walked and her hands looked incredibly painful. He watched as she struggled to hold her spoon to eat. He wanted so badly to scoop her up, heal her wounds, and ease her pain; but he had promised himself that he would keep the roles of Master and servant well defined. And so he stayed in his seat and asked in as calm a voice as he could manage, “Are you alright?”

 

Belle looked up at him with a weary face. “I’m just tired. Nothing to worry yourself over.” She bid him goodnight and retired to bed.

 

Rumplestiltskin wanted to go to her, but he held himself back. She’s fine, she said so herself. I just need to resist.

 

***

Belle continued to work hard, pushing herself to do more than she was capable of during the next few weeks, but Rumplestiltskin hadn’t noticed. He had told her he would be out on business, though in reality he was avoiding her in the hopes that his ardor for her would fade. It had also been his hope that in his absence she might relax a bit, but still she toiled away out of love.

 

It was late in the evening when he finally returned and he had expected her to be asleep in bed, so he was surprised and a bit nervous when he saw her sitting on one of the couches in the great hall. As he approached he saw that she wasn’t sitting, but was slumped upon it in unconsciousness. The lights in the hall were dim as he came to a stop before her and lifted her into his arms. She must be exhausted, he thought as she did not stir. He magiked them to her room and he laid her in her bed. As he pulled the covers over her, he noticed for the first time her gaunt face and the dark circles under her eyes. Belle moaned and opened her eyes blearily. “Rumplestiltskin, you’re back.” She smiled weakly up at him.

 

Rumplestiltskin’s face was pained. “You are unwell.”

 

Belle continued to smile dumbly, “No. I’m just tired is all.”

 

Rumplestiltskin sighed and looked away from her, “You don’t need to work so hard.”

Belle reached out for his hand and held it in her own, “I want to.”

 

Rumplestiltskin looked at her with a furrowed brow, “Why would you want to?”  


Belle sighed, “Because I love you.”

 

Rumplestiltskin pulled his hand away from her, “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

 

Belle sat up in bed with some difficulty, moaning a bit before finding her voice. “I do love you! And you love me, I know you do. I’ve seen the way your body reacts when I’m around you.”

 

Rumplestiltskin turned away from her in embarrassment. “You’re confused. You’ve been here too long. Locked away too long…” he sighed and then resigned himself to the decision he didn’t want to make. “Rest. That is an order. Tomorrow, if you are well, I will have you go into town for me.”

 

Belle looked at his back in confused astonishment. “You…you believe me then? You believe I’ll come back?”

 

Rumplestiltskin didn’t speak, but simply strode out of the room in silence.

 

***

Rumplestiltskin was at a loss. How could he be expected to overcome his feelings for her if she insisted on reciprocating them?! He sighed and plopped himself in the large leather chair in his bedroom and stared into the fire burning in his hearth. How could this have happened? How could she have developed feelings for me? I was so careful… Rumplestiltskin thought back to all the times he had forced himself not to intervene when she had burned her hand cooking, bruised an arm walking into a doorway; all the times he had made himself leave her when all he wanted to do was be near her, to hold her in his arms and smell her sweet scent and find comfort in her warmth. All that hard work and now she believed herself to be in love with him. Rumplestiltskin huffed at the thought of it. He looked down at himself and scowled, who could ever love this? He had been an oddity since he was born, a changeling child left to cause mischief in the world of men. One of a kind, destined to always be alone.

 

He rose and crossed the room, seeing his reflection in the glass of the large window, he stopped. There had been a time when he had considered glamoring his appearance, but he had found that his true face provided him with protection, people feared him for his looks and kept their distance; however, he did use glamoring from time to time to give himself the appearance of clothing. Not because he had any aversion to it, on the contrary he was more than a bit of a fashionista, but because there were times that it was just too uncomfortable for him whether due to temperature or the sometimes sensitive nature of his skin and so it was during these times that he would choose to forgo some or all of his clothing in favor of a glamor spell.

 

Rumplestiltskin laughed humorlessly. If only they saw me fully, they wouldn’t just be scared, they’d be disgusted. He turned away from his reflection as he felt tears begin to form and strode off toward his workshop.

 

***

The following morning, Belle brought Rumplestiltskin his breakfast at the usual time and attempted to serve him tea. Her hands were shaking and she seemed to struggle with the weight. “Allow me.” His voice was gentle and quiet as he caused the teapot to magically serve them both.

 

Belle smiled gratefully, “Thank you. It seems I haven’t toughened up my hands yet.”

 

Her words drew his attention to her hands and he struggled to keep his composure at the sight of them. Scabbed, blistered, and discolored. He moved to stand, wanting to take her hands in his and return them to their former loveliness, but he was stopped as she began to speak.

 

“I’ve been thinking… well, worrying. I’ve never been in town before, any town, by myself. I’m not sure that I’m ready to go alone.”

 

Rumplestiltskin could see that her trepidation was genuine, perhaps I should take her first and then let her go alone in a week or so. Once she has seen the inn there and knows the road better… No. I have to break her of me. She needs to see that I am not the person she has imagined me to be. She needs to be reminded that there is a world outside of this castle.

 

Rumplestiltskin put on his best mask of uncaring and replied, “Never the less you will go and fetch me straw.” Her mouth moved as if to protest, but he stopped it with, “it is an order.”

 

She sighed and quietly ate her breakfast.

 

Once Rumplestiltskin had finished his own breakfast, having drawn out the meal as long as he could and seeing that it was already midday, he looked to where Belle was poking her toast with her fork forlornly. “It is time you got going. It is a long walk to town.” Belle stood up from the table and with a wave of Rumplestiltskin’s hand, she found herself wearing a lovely green cape. Belle looked absolutely terrified and it took all of Rumplestiltskin’s strength to ignore it as he spoke, “There is a basket on the table by the front door for you to carry the straw in, as well as a bag of gold with which to pay for it and anything else you might need. Take the road leading away from the castle and it will take you into town.”

 

Belle nodded hesitantly and then slowly made her way out of the great hall and into the foyer. Once he sensed she was out of sight of the castle, he sighed and brought his face to his hands. He would never see her again. After all, she is so lovely and sure to attract the attentions of the young men in town. She’ll laugh at their idiotic jokes and the weeds they’ll pass off as flowers and think herself in love. But yet… he could feel hope, no more than an ember, burning within him. He went up to his workroom, thinking to distract his thoughts with work; only to find himself drawn to the window. Hours passed and he remain standing there staring out that window toward the road. The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon and he sighed sadly. She’s not coming back.

 

He turned away from the window and paused. I should at least check in on her, just to see that she found the inn. He quickly summoned his magic mirror and bade it to show him Belle. As the fog within the glass cleared, he saw men’s backs and furrowed his brow in confusion. One of the men moved then and he felt rage and terror rip at his heart as he saw Belle laying bloody and battered on the forest floor, her clothing being torn off her and the basket of straw strewn a few feet away.

 

***

Belle had been anxious all the way to town, so when she finally arrived she bought the straw as fast as she could and set off for home. As she walked alone down the forest road in the dim light, she felt terror creep into her chest at the odd sense that she was being watched. She pulled her cloak tighter and walked faster, hoping to see the castle soon.

 

Suddenly, a hand came around her head and covered her mouth. The other around her chest. She bit down hard on the hand and heard the man it belonged to squawk. He dropped her and she scrambled to get to her feet, but another man kicked her hard in the chest sending her rolling to the side of the road. Belle felt as if she couldn’t breathe, the pain in her chest was so great as she attempted to stand. She then saw that the man who had grabbed her wore a red knit hat and was yelling at the other man, the one who had kicked her, who had a metal hook for a hand and a great many rings on the other. The man in the red hat was saying they should just leave her and take the money. But the man with the hook sneered as he replied that there might still be some use in her, even if it’s only for a night.

 

Belle was on her feet now and struggling to get past the men somehow, but no sooner had she found her feet, the man with the hook back handed her splitting her cheek. She made to scream and he back handed her again, but this time with his hook. The cold metal hitting her temple hard and knocking her into unconsciousness.

 

The man with the hook laughed cruelly at the sight of her helpless on the ground and began to rip at her dress laces with his hook, shredding the fabric and leaving her scratched deep enough to draw blood.

 

CRACK! The man with the hook contorted painfully as every bone in his body broke. He twitched in excruciating pain and then crumpled to the forest floor. The man in the red cap stared at the scene in horror and confusion. He slowly turned around and saw the Dark One in all his fury standing behind him. He stumbled back and screamed in terror as the ground seemed to churn around him and pulled him deep into its smothering embrace.

 

Rumplestiltskin was at Belle’s side in an instant. “Belle!” he cried in a voice that betrayed the depths of his terror. He took her into his arms and in a puff of smoke they were once again in the great hall of his castle. He laid her on the long table that they had shared a meal at mere hours ago, and set to work healing her wounds. The wound to her temple was the most severe so he focused his energy there; but to his dismay and dread, his magic seemed to have no effect.

 

“No…no, no, no! That’s not possible. Why is my magic not working?” Rumplestiltskin took a shaky breath. He took Belle into his arms and apparated them to his workshop and private library. Belle moaned in his arms as he lay her gently on a cot he had summoned. “Belle?”

 

Belle struggled to open her eyes. Everything was too bright, and the ringing in her ears was nearly deafening. She heard Rumplestiltskin’s voice and slowly his face came into view. “Rumple… I don’t…d-don’t think I sh-should go into town. I’m not feeling w-ell.”

 

Rumplestiltskin felt as if he may crumble to dust at her words. “Shh, sweetheart. You’re staying here.”

 

Belle’s pupils were so dilated the lovely blue of her eyes had nearly vanished. She looked dazed and tired as she replied, “I hurt. Is…is.. th-this dying?”

 

Rumple shook as he held back his tears. “Don’t worry sweetheart, I’m going to find a way to heal you. I promise.”

 

Belle’s eyes seemed to glaze over as she replied, “So you…l-love me?” Before slipping into unconsciousness once more.

 

Rumple let his tears fall freely as he answered in a shaky voice he feared she could not hear, “I do.”

***

Rumplestiltskin quickly began searching his books and papers for an explanation to Belle’s inability to be healed. He used magic to speed up the process, leaving him a blur of color to an observer. He finally found a passage that seemed relevant and stopped to look at it closer.

 

The passage mentioned that in very rare circumstances, a person is born immutable and thus is unaffected by additive magic. Everyone has a little magic in them even if they aren’t capable of utilizing it, and it is this small amount of magic that allows additive magic to affect them. The immutable are born without this innate magic, and are directly unaffected by additive magic; however, they are still capable of being affected by subtractive magic and thus susceptible to curses.

 

Rumplestiltskin’s head thumped with anger and he rubbed his eyes as if the motion would ease the tension in his mind. Why did it have to be additive magic? Additive magic is the basis of the majority of magic, subtractive magic being used almost exclusively for torture and death. He sighed in defeated dismay. I can’t heal her with subtractive magic. There is nothing that I could remove from her that would be of benefit. He braced himself on the table with his hands and stared down at the open book that lay there. A word toward the bottom of the page caught his eye… He looked closer at the bottom of the passage and saw that the condition of immutability can be remedied by…

 

He quickly turned the page and felt the air go out of his lungs.

 

 

…remedied by the ingestion of the cum of a sorcerer or sorceress given that it was expelled due to feelings of intense love for the afflicted, simple lust will not suffice.

 

She has to… I have to… Rumplestiltskin struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. He heard Belle moan and mumble on the cot and quickly moved to her side. “Belle? Sweetheart, I have a way to heal you, but it isn’t pleasant.”

Belle stared up at him with her glassy eyes, “I don’t want to die.”

 

Rumplestiltskin steeled his nerves at her words and pressed a kiss to her hand. “You won’t.” He turned away from her and summoned an empty glass to his hand. He then took himself in the other hand and willed himself to harden. He tried to breathe deeply, he tried to focus on visions of Belle, but he found himself remaining uselessly flaccid. He screamed in frustration and Belle called out at the sound of it.

 

He rushed to her side once more and whispered, “Shh, sweetheart. You’re safe.”

 

Belle reached out and touched his cheek, “Why did you scream?”

 

Rumplestiltskin broke down at her question, “Oh Belle, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have tried to keep you at arms length. If I had listened, if I had healed you all those times before like I had wanted to, then I would have known… I should’ve never sent you away.”

 

Belle thumbed away some of his tears, “So you c-can’t save me?”

 

Rumplestiltskin stuttered and sputtered through his tears, “You would have to drink my cum, and I can’t. I’m sorry.” He tried to cover his face in shame, but she pulled his hand down with a tug.

 

Belle struggled to sit up. Rumplestiltskin summoned pillows to prop her up and take the strain off of her. She moaned as she tried to relax against them, her broken ribs making the simple act of breathing difficult. Rumplestiltskin was kneeling now, crying into her lap. She shushed him gently and then spoke, her voice a mere whisper, “Do you love me Rumple?”

 

He stared up at her with large teary eyes, “Yes darling. I love you so much.”

She wheezed and whispered, “Then straddle me.”

 

Rumple looked up at her like she had grown a second head. “What?”

Belle struggled to repeat herself, “Straddle me, now.”

 

Rumple did as he was asked and gasped as she reached out a shaky hand and cupped his manhood. He stuttered, “Y-you can see me… Oh gods… additive magic, m-my glamor… all this time…”

 

Belle ignored his stumbling words of panic. “Come closer. Brace yourself on the head rail.”

 

Rumple did as he was told and positioned himself so that his member was at her mouth and he wasn’t putting any pressure on her. She took the tip of his member into her mouth and he jerked at the newness of the sensation. She was far too weak to take any more of him so she focused her efforts on massaging his length and tickling his balls the way she remembered Rose had done and was pleased to find that he was beginning to harden and lengthen for her. Rumplestiltskin for his part closed his eyes and focused hard on visions of Belle in the firelight as he had taken her measurements. Rumplestiltskin could feel that he was close. This was not at all how he had imagined his first time, and in any other circumstance he might be embarrassed by how quickly it was over, but in this circumstance, it was a blessing. He immediately poofed himself off of her and at her side. She was unconscious once more, but it seemed that she had indeed kept the majority of his release in her mouth. He quickly set to work healing her wounds and to his relief he saw that they did begin to heal under his ministrations. He stopped bleeding, relieved swelling, healed bones… he was exhausted by the end of it all, but he was rewarded by Belle looking up at him with her bright blue eyes. “You love me.” She whispered. He smiled and lay down next to her. He snuggled up to her in exhaustion. She patted his head and he snuggled up to rest it on her breasts. She sighed, “I seem to remember you were wearing only a silk shirt a moment ago, and now you seem to be fully clothed.”

 

“Hmm?” Rumplestiltskin thought for a moment. “Oh!” He shed the unnecessary glamor that he had cast over himself and smiled as he heard Belle reply, “Ah, that’s better.”

He sighed happily and she continued to run her fingers along his scalp. She sighed, “Have you been glamoring yourself the whole time I’ve lived here?”

 

He chuckled, “Have you seen through it this whole time?”

 

Belle laughed, “Why do you think I kept blushing those first few weeks and running into things?”

Rumple chuckled, “I assumed you were just a klutz.”

 

She gave his hair a playful tug, “I suppose I am a bit klutzy, but your lovely features on constant display didn’t help matters.”

 

Rumple scoffed at her words, “There are no lovely features on me, only hideousness.”

Belle tilted his head so that he could see her face. “I see no hideousness when I look at you. I see a strong chin, adorable pixie ears, luscious lips, a distinctive nose, touchable hair, sparkling eyes, and a lithe body; I can only hope that the children we will share will inherit some of those lovely features.

 

Rumple stuttered, “ch-ch-children?”

Belle began to massage his scalp gently, “Would children be so terrible?”

 

Rumple simply stared dumbly at her as she began to move her body so that she was straddling him. He began to stutter once more, “B-but y-you, w-would…”

 

Belle placed a finger on his lips as she whispered, “shhh.”

 

Rumple inhaled sharply, smelling himself on her fingers as she brushed away his hair and began to kiss him passionately. She seemed to know what she wanted, so he let her lead this dance of passion as her tongue begged entrance at his lips. He brought his arms around her and held her tightly as if afraid he might awaken to find that this had all been a dream. She began to rock back and forth against him, her moist apex cradling and rocking his hardening member. He moaned into her mouth and felt his body spasm at the newness of it all.

 

Belle felt her body tingling all over and the tell-tale arousal in her loins. This is it, she thought to herself. She had dreamed and imagined this moment and now it was happening. She snaked her hand down his chest and grasped the tip of his member. She could feel him tremble in her grasp and it gave her confidence in her abilities. She brought him to her entrance and felt his girth begin to stretch her ring of muscles. She moaned in a mixture of pain and pleasure as she began to rub the little pearl of pleasure just as Tracasin had done for Rose and felt herself begin to soar to that lovely precipice of pleasure as she slid down his length.

 

Rumple trembled beneath Belle as he struggled to understand the pleasure surging through him. He felt he may shake apart as he felt himself sheaved in Belle’s warm, silky womb. He felt safe and loved for the first time in his existence. When Belle arched up, giving him perfect access to her perfect breasts, he took advantage and snapped her nipple into his mouth like a hungry babe. She shuddered against him and cried out his name like a sacred prayer as he began to writhe within her, and all at once they were one with each other, their hot bodies pressed against each other. Then they simply lay there in each other’s arms and listened to the sound of their hearts.

 

Belle seemed to have fallen asleep splayed on top of him. He smiled happily and pressed a gentle kiss to her hair. For the first time in his life he felt complete joy. It was a feeling he was not used to and so his mind set to whirring trying to find the fault in it because surely something so wonderful could not last. He thought back to how frail Belle had looked when he had saved her and remembered the terror in his heart at the thought of losing her. He began to shiver as he realized that she would one day die. And so, he closed his eyes and focused hard on the magic that flowed within him. As he cast this most difficult spell he felt a spark of encouragement as he felt the magic that now lived in Belle, his magic, reach out to him. He braided the strands together in an unbreakable rope, a bond between them so strong that it would keep her immortal so long as he remained so. And if ever she was to be hurt, her blood would cry out to him and he would be at her side in an instance. He sighed as even now he seemed to be able to feel her essence.

 

All at once Belle began to shiver in his arms as their sweat cooled in the drafty air of his workroom. Rumple’s voice was like velvet as he asked, “Are you cold my love?”

 

Belle nodded against his chest. With a wave of his hand they were clean and clothed; she in a lovely blue silk gown and he in flowing red silk pants. Then with a thought they were in his four-poster bed, tucked warmly under his soft comforter. Belle’s eyes twinkled in the dim firelight from the glowing hearth in the room as she took in her surroundings. “Where are we?” she asked quietly. Rumple brushed the hair from her face with gentle fingers, “In my bed. You don’t object, do you?”

 

Belle seemed to consider for a moment, and Rumple’s heart began to beat faster as dread tugged at his heart. “The only woman a man should share his bed with is his wife. And yet, I had the most beautiful dream while I was lying in your arms. I dreamed that we were married deep in the forest in the ruins of a once mighty castle now overgrown with wild roses and ivy. You held me in your arms and ribbons that seemed to be made of light and warmth wrapped around us and settled into our bodies and we were one. But alas, I awaken to find no symbol of our union.”

 

Rumple closed his eyes and opened them slowly, a smile creeping across his face. “Look at your hand my love.” She pulled her left hand out from under the covers and found that a shimmering ring was on her ring finger. She sighed dreamily at the sight of it as Rumple brought his own ringed hand up to hold hers, bringing it to his lips and planting a kiss upon it. Belle hummed happily as she snuggled into his arms and pressed against his chest. “Goodnight my beloved husband.” With a contented sigh, Rumple caused the red velvet curtains to close around the bed as he whispered, “Goodnight my beloved wife.”


End file.
